Foxbase Alpha (thing)

Released in Sptember 1991, Foxbase Alpha is the debutalbum from Englishpop group Saint Etienne - comprised of music journalists Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, and photogenic blonde singer Sarah Cracknell. I would humbly venture that it is by far their best record, and required listening for anyone who enjoys summery, blissed out pop music.

Tracklisting and comments -

1. This Is Radio Etienne - Intro track, comprising a snippet from a French football radio programme. As the commentator mentions Saint Etienne (the French football club), the track cuts to -

4. Carnt Sleep - dub (non-)ballad. No tune to speak of, but very listenable. Lazy pigeon-holing requires me to describe this as trip-hoppy, although that particular genre hadn't been officially invented in 1991. Nonetheless, Carnt Sleep wouldn't sound out of place on Blue Lines (somewhere to wards the end, probably).

13. Kiss And Make Up - A remixed version was released as a third single. The album version is soporific, which is a bad thing considering it's a dance track.

14. Like The Swallow - Starts with a drawn out, discordant introduction, that sounds a lot like This Mortal Coil, and ends with a pounding baggy drumbeat and an almost off-hand vocal from Sarah C. Sounds like it shouldn't work, but somehow they pull it off.

15. Dilworth's Theme - Nothing more than a verse from Cracknell, backed by a heavily distorted piano. Short but sweet.